Montebello Fish Hatchery to Tye River

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10.5 miles, moderate terrain
64 miles from Daleville + 5.5 mile shuttle for Tye River, $7 carpool fee

Take the I-81 Exit 202/Raphine-Steeles Tavern and head east on VA-606 for 1.5 miles to US-11. Turn left onto US-11 and an immediate right onto VA-56. A 9.1 mile drive on this narrow, twisting road will bring you across the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains and to VA-690 and the Montebello Fish Hatchery sign.

For the Spy Rock ending of this hike, go right on VA-690 past the fish hatchery and leave the shuttle cars in the USFS parking lot and return to VA-56.

The Crabtree Falls Trail parking lot is another 2.9 miles on the right. Outhouses are located adjacent to the parking area.

For the Tye-River ending, continue on VA-56 to the Tye River where the AT comes out to a parking lot. the drive is a long way down. Then come back and make a left on VA-690 past the fish hatchery and start your hike. You will come to Spy Rock very soon.

A scramble to the top of Spy Rock (about 50 vertical feet) is highly recommended in order to take advantage of the outstanding panoramic views. The summit of The Priest, at 4,063 feet also has excellent views just off to the left. The Priest is the highest point in Nelson County and the focal point of the so-called Religious Range. In the last four miles of the hike, the Appalachian Trail drops 3,000 feet as it descends to Route 56 and the Tye River.